


I Know You

by Ellana17



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Idiots in Love, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 06:07:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13358124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellana17/pseuds/Ellana17
Summary: “So, how long did it take you guys to realize it wasn’t me?” John asked, half-jokingly.





	I Know You

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been sitting on this story for nearly eight years and it only took me a couple hours to finish it. Go figure.

As he waited impatiently outside the infirmary, Rodney had all the time in the world to reflect on the events of the past few days. He would need Sheppard’s side of the story to get all the details required of course but Rodney could already guess most of what had transpired anyway.

They had found themselves in life or death situations since they had been back in the Pegasus Galaxy, but nothing as disturbing as that particular mission.

Getting the city back to where it belonged had not been easy, but every member of the expedition was more than happy – even relieved – to be back home and to pursue the fight against the Wraiths.

The mission had started off as countless before. McKay had been arguing with Sheppard about something he could not remember. What he did remember though was that Sheppard had definitely been wrong. They had stumbled upon a group of Wraiths in the middle of a Hunt. Sheppard, Ronon and Teyla had taken down the Dart before the Wraiths could get their life-sucking hands on the Runner and the ship had been severely damaged in the crash-landing.

The swap might have occurred at any moment between then and the time the team had made it back to the gate.

Rodney was ashamed to admit – even to himself – that he did not realize what was going on at the time. How could he? What were the odds that…?

Rodney shook his head. That was the precise reason why developing feelings for one of your teammates was a bad idea.

At first, Rodney had put Sheppard’s sudden indifference towards him down to the fact that the man was probably fed up with him after all those years. Rodney had thought the time had come when their friendship did not appeal to Sheppard as much as it once did.

His… feelings for Sheppard had clouded his judgment, whether he realized it or not at the time.

After some time, Rodney had finally noticed a pattern in Sheppard’s strange behavior. The man was not only distant with Rodney but with Ronon and Teyla too. That was the precise moment Rodney understood something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.

ooo

When Sheppard opened his eyes, it took him a second to realize he was back on Atlantis, safe and sound. He exhaled loudly and settled back on the infirmary bed. The man closed his eyes a moment against the harsh light of the room. A memory flashed before his eyes and a shiver ran down his spine.

Sheppard opened his eyes again immediately.

The mission had started off normally enough. Rodney and him had been arguing as they often did. Rodney had been refusing to admit that he was wrong of course and Sheppard had been fighting off a smile. He dared not admit – even to himself – that he found Rodney’s competitive mind mostly endearing nowadays.

His unrequited feelings for the brilliant scientist were the last thing on his mind at the moment as he struggled against the wave of nausea the memories had brought with them.

John had come too close of the Dart as it crash-landed and the swap had been made somehow. He would need to ask Rodney for more details.

After the team had left the planet without him, John had spent several days inside a Wraith’s body. Of course, at the time, the team had not known the man they had brought back to Atlantis was not John, but a Wraith trapped inside the human’s body.

The thought alone made John feel sick.

With no radio and no Jumper, John had had no way of contacting Atlantis. Dialing the gate would have been no use, as he had had no way of getting past the shield.

In the following days, John had spent a lot of time wondering what would McKay do in that kind of situation. But McKay had not been there to save his sorry ass and John had had to find a solution on his own.

The Runner they had helped out had decided one night to take him by surprise and slice his throat while he slept. The fact that the young girl had reminded him of Teyla had definitely turned in her favor. John had restrained from using all his strength to stop her as his instincts told him too. He had felt the life inside her, pulsing through her veins. John had ignored that too with much more difficulties.

It had taken some times to convince her that he had absolutely no intention of harming her and after some convincing arguments, she had finally – and reluctantly – accepted to help him.

John had sent her to a planet where he knew Lorne’s team was due for a friendly visit. Watching her go through the gate, John had wondered if he would ever go back home.

Lorne had finally come, weapons at the ready. Sometimes John wished his men would not be as suspicious as they were. It was what kept them all alive, though, and John could not be mad at them for following the rules.

The Wraith spy had nearly blown Atlantis to pieces and for a dreadful moment John had thought the Marines would have to shoot the Wraith while he was still very much in John’s body.

Ronon had stunned the Wraith and Zelenka had taken care of the swap. Rodney had been nowhere to be found.

ooo

Keller finally let the team inside the infirmary. By the look of it, the three of them had been waiting to come in for a long time. Woolsey came by to wish John a good recovery and inform him that Lorne was in charge of the military staff for the time being.

After Woolsey’s departure, John asked the team to fill in the blanks.

“So, how long did it take you guys to realize it wasn’t me?” John asked, half-jokingly.

“More than I’m willing to admit,” Rodney answered truthfully. He had yet to look John in the eyes.

“Actually,” Teyla cut in. “It was Rodney who first got me thinking about it. I could see that something was amiss, but… I think the Wraith was hidden from me by your DNA.”

“I knew that something was going on, but that’s only because I’ve spent a long time running from the Wraiths,” Ronon added.

“So, you’re saying that McKay saved our collective ass – again?”

“Well, I’m a genius, after all.”

“Yes. Yes, you are, Rodney.”

Ronon glanced at Teyla. “It’s good to have you back, Sheppard,” he said as he patted Sheppard’s knee.

“I hope you will be able to go back to work soon,” Teyla added before leaving the infirmary with Ronon.

“I should probably go,” Rodney said, waving his arms around awkwardly. “You need rest. And food,” he added suddenly. “Has anyone brought you lunch yet? I’m going to…”

“McKay!” John cut him mid-rant. “Thank you,” he said softly.

“You’re welcome,” Rodney replied softly as he squeezed John’s hand.

Rodney took a step towards the door when John’s voice made him stop.

“How did you know?” Sheppard asked curiously.

Rodney turned around slowly and frowned. “What do you mean?”

“How did you know it wasn’t me?”

Rodney fidgeted with his hands a moment before walking back to the bed.

“I guess I could tell there was something wrong. I mean… you didn’t train with Teyla, you didn’t go running with Ronon, you kept avoiding me… But I think that the moment you attacked Lorne was a major clue,” he added.

Sheppard rolled his eyes at him, but did not let go. “I’m serious, McKay. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.”

Rodney cleared his throat. “It was my turn to save you,” he simply said.

Sheppard was not satisfied with that answer, though. What did he want to hear from Rodney so badly that he could not simply let go?

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“You would have done the same for me,” Rodney added.

It was clearly the end of the conversation. But then Sheppard said with a broken voice that couldn’t possibly be his own: “You know I would have.”

Rodney seemed surprised for a second. “I know, John,” he said and patted John’s hand again.

“I would have known, you know,” John told him. And, god, what kind of painkillers had Keller given him? It seemed as though he simply could not keep his mouth shut.

“Known what?” Rodney frowned.

“If the roles were reverse, I would have known it wasn’t you.”

Rodney’s eyes went wide. He did not manage to hide his surprise this time around.

“I would have known because you wouldn’t have come to ask me to try some new piece of tech, because you wouldn’t have drunk at least five cups of coffee before breakfast, because you wouldn’t have complained about Zelenka even if we both know that you have nothing to complain about. Hell, the Wraith would have probably eaten some citrus and you would have died!”

“Sheppard, I…”

Rodney looked as though someone had just slapped him in the face. John only then realized what he had said and, god, how he wished he could take it all back.

“What did Keller give you?” Rodney asked, looking kind of amazed.

Sheppard groaned and hide his face in his hands. Rodney gently pushed John’s hands away from his face and stared at the man.

“I really hope you meant what you said,” Rodney finally said before leaning in.

For the first time since John had been back, closing his eyes did not cause any flashbacks.

“Rodney…” he whispered.

“I’m really glad you’re back,” Rodney told him quietly. “Just…get some rest, okay?”

Sheppard nodded, settling back more comfortably on the bed. He was out within a few minutes.

Rodney, for his part, pulled up a chair and sat down next to the bed, ready to fight off anyone who would dare try to throw him out of the infirmary.

 

**THE END**


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